Electric-wire cleat



J. LEVANDOFSKY ELECTRIC WIRE CLEAT Filed March 22, 1923 John Leva/ndofslt I Patented Get. 7, 1924:.

1 i S T orrica.

JOHN LEVANDOFSKY, or BUGHTEL, 01310.

ELECTRIC-WIRE CLEAT.

Application filed March 22, 1923. Serial No. 626,742.

T all whom it may 001mm.-

Be it known that I, JOHN LnvANnorsKY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bu'chtel, in the county of Athens and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use-' ful Improvements in Electric-Wire Cleats,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for holding and insulating electric wires and has particular reference to those devices generally known as cleats.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character so constructed that one of the wires may be removed, without disturbing the other wires held by the cleat.

Another ob ect of the invention is the prowill be easy to operate, compact in form,

strong and durable.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the cleat showing two electric wires held by the device.

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the device, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, with the open positions shown in dotted lines,

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on line H of Figure 3, and,

Figure 5 is a detail elevation of the clamp ing jaw,

In the drawings, wherein for the pur pose of illustration is shown a preferred form of my invention, the numeral designates the body or base portion formed of insulating material and having cut-out portions 11 formed so as to leave an upstanding portion 12 in substantially the middle of the body portion 10. Ribs 13 extend outwardly from the upstanding member 12, one on each side and centrally thereof, and

project into the cut-out portions 11. These ribs are preferably integral with the body portion 11, and member 12. A section taken through the member 12 and 'the ribs 13 would be in'the shapeof across, theme-mber 12 being the vertical arms of the cross, and the ribs 13 forming the horizontal arms. Tpgansverse openings 14 extend through the ri s 13. i i

Jaws 15, also formed of insulating material, fit into the cut-out portions 11 and have grooves 16 to receive the ribs 13.

Transverse openings 17 in the jaws align withthe openings 14k in the ribs and a-pin 18 extends through the openings 14; and

serves to pivotally' connect the jaws to the ribs. The inner ends of the jaws are rounded as at 19, so as to allow pivotal movement, and the inner faces of the grooves are bevelled, as at 20, for the same purpose.

The contacting faces of the body portion and jaws are formed with grooves 21, transversely corrugated, as at 22, and'when the device is in its operative position, vthe groove-s will form passages'to receive the electrical wires 28, the corrugations 22 serving to prevent the wires from slipping. I

A substantially U-shaped spring member 24; surrounds the cleat on three sides and is secured to the bottom or rear side of the body portion 10. The portion 10 is preferably longitudinally grooved as at 25 so that I the spring member 24: will lie flush with the surface of the base 10.

The spring member 2 1 is formed from one. piece of metal and only secured to the rear or bottom of the base 10. It is then bent at the ends of the base and extends along the opposite ends of the cleat. At its extremities the spring member is formed with rolls or beads 26 which extend over the top faces of the jaws and serves to hold said jaws in their closed positions.

26 out of the way of the jaws when they are i In operation the device is secured to a wall by the screw 30. The spring member is pushed aside by bearing on the beads 26, and the jaws may then be opened for inserting the Wires 23. In closing thejawsit is not necessary to bother with thespring clip :21- as the slanting face of the notch 27 will guide the spring member out of the way and when the jaws are completely closed, the beads 26 will project over the top ogfsaid invention herewith shown and describedis to i be taken as a preferred example of the same and that varions changes in the shape, size and arrangement of part-smay be res orted to wlthout departingtromthe splrltvof my 111- vention or the sco-pejof the subjoined claims Having thus deseribed my invention, I

claim 1 1. In wiring cleat, a base, awspivoted to the base and spring clips adapted to retain thejawsin their closed positionwhereby either aw be operated independently of the otheij 52. In a wire oleat, .a basemeans whereby the base maybe secured to a support, a pair,

of jawsv pivoted near their inner ends to the baseandiadapted to be swung toward andv away from ,the base in a plane perpendicular to the base, the wires being held between t the jaws and the base and extending perpen.

other wire. It is also obvious that in removdicular to the plane of movement of the jaws, and elements engaging" thebase and the outer end of the jaws to hold the jaws in the closed position said elements being free from engagement with the wires.

3. Ina wiring cleat a base having a cutout portion, a rib formed in the cut-out portion a jaw adap t edto fit in the cut-out portion and having a groove to receive the rib, a pivot element connectingt-he aw and the rib,-and means to retain the jaw in itsiclosed positioin, a

at. In awiring cleat, a base l1a vi11gcut=out portions, means for securing the base to :a support, ribs formed in the -.eut-out portions, awsadapte-d to fit in the cut ont portions and havinggrooves to receive the ribs, pivot elements oonneeting the jaws to the ribs, andspring clips to retain the awstin I their closed position, whereby thejaws may be operated independently of v each other and of the "securing means.

5. In a wiringcleat, a base havingcut-out portions, ribsformed in said cut-out por tions, jaws having grooves to receive said ribs and pivoted thereto and-having notches with slanting faces, and spring members secured to the base and havmg rolledends to engage the slantinggtacesof the notches and be forced outwardlythereby inorder to permit the jaws to reach their closec l -position, said rolledends, seiving to ioelrthe jaws in their closed position.

JOHN LEVANDOFSLKY.

I In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. 

